Short-Term Culture of Ovarian Cortical Strips From Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus apella): A Morphological, Viability, and Molecular Study of Preantral Follicular Development In Vitro

• Published in: Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) Calif.), 2013-08, Vol.20 (8), p.990-997
• Main Authors: Brito, A. B., Santos, R. R., van den Hurk, R., Lima, J. S., Miranda, M. S., Ohashi, O. M., Domingues, S. F. S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Mullerian Hormone - genetics; Anti-Mullerian Hormone - metabolism; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 - genetics; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 - metabolism; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 - pharmacology; Cebus - metabolism; Cebus - physiology; Embryology; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Gonadotropins, Equine - pharmacology; Growth Differentiation Factor 9 - genetics; Growth Differentiation Factor 9 - metabolism; In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques - methods; Medicine & Public Health; Mercaptoethanol - pharmacology; Obstetrics/Perinatology/Midwifery; Original; Original Article; Ovarian Follicle - metabolism; Ovarian Follicle - physiology; Ovary - metabolism; Ovary - physiology; Reproductive Medicine; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Time Factors; Tissue Culture Techniques; Tissue Survival
• ISSN: 1933-7191; 1933-7205
• DOI: 10.1177/1933719112472737

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an in vitro culture (IVC) medium containing either or not β-mercaptoethanol (BME), bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), or pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) could be able to promote the development of capuchin monkeys’ preantral follicles enclosed in ovarian cortical strips. Follicular viability after IVC was similar to control (89.32%). Primordial follicle recruitment to primary stage was not reached with IVC, but the rate of secondary follicle formation was increased in the medium supplemented with BME, BMP4, and PMSG (44.86%) when compared to IVC control (9.20%). In the medium supplemented with BME, BMP4, and PMSG, contrary to other media, anti-müllerian hormone-messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in ovarian tissue was upregulated (3.4-fold), while that of growth differentiation factor-9 was maintained. The BMP4-mRNA expression, however, appeared downregulated in all cultured tissues. Our findings show a favorable effect of BME, BMP4, and PMSG on the in vitro development of secondary follicles from capuchin monkeys.